TAMPA, Fla., July 25 (UPI) -- A Florida puppeteer who performed at schools faces federal charges he planned to kidnap, torture, cook and eat small children.
Ronald Brown, 57, was arrested Friday at his mobile home in Largo, where investigators said they found images of child pornography on his computer, as well as detailed online chats with another man about kidnapping and eating children, WTSP-TV, Tampa, reported.
Brown appeared in federal court Tuesday and was ordered held without bond while he sought an attorney, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
Agents said some of the images were of children in painful bondage positions. Other images appeared to be of dead children.
In his statement to agents, Brown said all of his online chats were in the "realm of fantasy," the television station said.
On his Facebook page, Brown says he began performing puppet shows when he was 8 and formed a business, Puppet Plus, in 1992. He says he performs at birthday parties, malls, museums and even for the Tampa Bay Rays.
He lists his occupation as a master control operator for the Christian Television Network.
